How to sync a PlayStation 4 controller

How to sync and troubleshoot your PS4's DualShock 4 controllers

Wireless controllers are among the best things about modern console gaming, but sometimes, those controllers can be a pain — particularly when they stop working for no discernable reason.

With the PlayStation 4’s DualShock 4 controllers, the Bluetooth connection between the console and the controller can sometimes get interrupted and create some issues. Luckily, the process for syncing any controller with your console is easy, and even if you have issues, resetting a controller so that it can get a clear signal doesn’t take too much work, either.

Here’s everything you need to know to sync your PlayStation 4 DualShock controller to your PS4 console, and to fix it if it’s having connectivity problems. And if you want to connect a Dualshock 4 controller to your PC, good news. We have a guide for that too.

Get a USB cable

Syncing a PlayStation 4 DualShock controller to a PS4 is extremely easy, but it does require one piece of hardware. A USB cable. There’s no wireless workaround for pairing controllers via Bluetooth, so in order to sync new controllers with your PS4, you’ll need a cable. Your DualShock 4 controller comes with a cable packaged in it, but any USB 2.0 Micro-B cable will work. Plug the USB cable into the controller, then into the USB port in the PlayStation 4.

Fire up the PS4

When you turn on your PS4, your controller should automatically connect with your PlayStation thanks to the USB cable. You’ll need to push the PlayStation button in the center of the controller to turn the controller on, and when you do that, the PS4 should take you to the login screen to choose a player account to go with that controller. You’ll be able to tell the controller is working because the LED light bar on the top of the controller will turn blue (or another color, if it isn’t the first controller connected — red for Player 2, green for Player 3, and pink for Player 4). That cable will also charge your controller, with the light turning yellow when the controller is charging but not turned on.

Make sure the controller is charged

When you’re having trouble with a controller not working wirelessly with your console, the usual issue with pairing is that the controller is undercharged. If it sounds like the “unplug it and then plug it back in” solution to the problem, it is.

Make sure the controller is charging when you plug it in — when it’s not being used, you’ll see the light bar on the top turn yellow. If it’s not charging, you might have another issue, or a bad cable.

Reset your controller by telling the PS4 to “forget it”

If your pairing issues aren’t related to power or your cable, you might need to reset your controller and your PlayStation 4 in order to re-pair it. If you’ve got a controller that still works, you can do that in the PS4’s Settings menu. It’s on the Home screen on the far right side, represented by a suitcase icon.

Navigate down to the “Devices” menu, and then choose “Bluetooth.” You’ll see all your controllers there, as well as any other Bluetooth devices you use with your PlayStation. Choose the one you’re trying to reset (it can be difficult to tell and you might need to turn on all your controllers if you have more than one), select it, and hit X.

Now hit the “Options” button on your controller to bring up a contextual menu, and select “Forget Device.” This will cause your controller to unpair with your PlayStation 4.

Once that’s done, you should be able to just plug the controller in with your USB cable to pair it to the console again, as mentioned toward the start of this guide.

Do a hard reset on your controller

If re-pairing the controller doesn’t work, the issue might be with the controller itself and not the PS4. In that case, you’ll need to reset the controller. You’ll need an unfolded paper clip (or something similarly thin and sturdy) with which to push a hidden button on your PS4 in order to reset it.

Now, turn off your PS4 and unplug both it and your internet router or modem, so that your controller won’t receive any network signals when you reset it. When that’s done, flip the controller over and look for a small hole on the right side. Push the paperclip in the hole and push the button inside for three to five seconds. It’s best to hold it down for a count of 10 to be sure.

When you’ve done that, plug in both your router and your PS4 again. Turn on the PS4, then plug your controller into the USB cable. That should re-pair the controller from scratch. If it doesn’t work, you may have a broken controller on your hands.

Alternative: Go USB-only

It’s also possible to skip over the Bluetooth wireless connection and play with your DualShock 4 controllers on an entirely wired, USB-enabled connection. That’s obviously not ideal when you could potentially play wirelessly, but it’s a potential workaround when connectivity and signal issues persist. You can set a controller to only communicate with the PS4 via USB when it’s plugged in by changing the settings in the Devices menu, as noted above. Under “Devices,” navigate to “Controllers,” and then set any controllers to only communicate via USB when they’re plugged in. That way, signal issues or Bluetooth problems shouldn’t affect the controller so long as you’ve got a wired connection.

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